Draft device for implements



March 12, 1929. W.ELLIOTT 1,705,353

DRAFT DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTS Filed Nov. 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gme'ntoz )hw W?" March" 12, 1929. w. ELLIOTT 1,705,358

DRAFT DEVICE FOR IMPLEMBNTS Filed Nov. 13, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

(a PE: V, i

wiLLIAM ELLIOTT, DIE-BEATRICE, lvnnrtnsxe, n'ssrelvoa To DEMZESTER MILL MAN,U'-' FACTURING COMPANY, on BEATRICE, NEBRASKA, A console-Arron oF- DRAFT DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTS.

Application filed November 13, 1925. Serial No. 69,834.

This invention relates to draft devices for agricultural implements, and is based on an example showing afour horse draft device or so-calledevener for a two row cultivator or v other implement, say of the type illustrated by my Patent No. 1,279,677 datedSept, 24, 1918; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art in the light of theff ollowing Io explanations of theaccompanying drawings that illustrate what I now believe to be the preferred mechanical expression or embodiment of my invention from'amon'g other con- ;structions and arrangements. within the spirit and scope thereof. 7

The ordinary center pivoted evener bar for a two straddle row cultivator, such for example as illustrated by my above mentioned pat- .ent, embodies'a single'stifi evener bar, and

bar, the single bar mustbe longer than the over-all width ofthe cultivator '(the distance between the two cultivator wheels) because the four horse team and the two row culti 2 vator in working a field will occupy five:-

' are of suficient width' for passage of the culti- 7 vator withoutthe over long evener; f Y An object of the present invention is t provide means that will overcome theherein-i before mentioned difficulty, by the production of a center, pivoted draft mechanis'mo'r evener device of greaternormalov'er-al-l length 40 than the distance {between the outer end ground wheels of the implement, that em-' bodies end portions to which the draft attachments are hitched, capable of being folded by whand or otherwise, to reduce the over-all length of the evener for cultivator storage v width of the cultivator and hence willnotinterfere withthe movement of thecultivator through any passageway of sufficient width and display purposes,'and that are also ca-.

pable of swinging forwardly when released, under the pull of the draft animals, to-there "by reduce the over-all length of the evener 50. device under such abnormal conditions vas the necessity of pulling the implement through a passage of sufficient width to permit passage of the implement but too narrow for passage 4 of the evener device when in the normal open F i where a four horse team is to behitched to this a ative form and adjustment required for field work.

With this and other objects in viewthe iii-'1.

ventionconsists of certain novel features-of 3 construction and, .of. combinations and 211". rangements as more fully and particularly set. forth and-speclfied hereinafter. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings: I

' Fig; 1 'is. a;top plan--of an implement equipped with an evener device inaccordance with my present invention. Y .Flg. 2 is a top plan showingthe evener de vice in folded or contractedform with its'end I sect-ions swung forwardly, dotted and-full lmes showing some of'the various angular p0.-

sitions to which said'ends can be folded, por-t tions of the implement being broken away. 1 I Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3+3;

Fig. Tis a detail front elevation-ofan end portion of the e'vener device.

In the drawings, I showa two row culti vator, say the cultivator of'iny hereinbeforementioned I patent. This cultivator is fine the, extreme over'allwidth of the implement itself. This cultivator is provided with v1ded with the end ground wheels 1, that debodies .a front vertical spindle 4, on which.

the'evenerdevice is centered and swingable horizontally,

Thelevenerbar unit of the evener mecha- -nism, embodies three sections, namely; strong straight longitudinally elongated'jcenr r f termembensuch wood'en bar or beam' 5,

and two longitudinal end extensions 6, ofsa id center member. The center member or-bar 5,

corresponds to the oommonevener bar much reducedin lengthy The member"5;= is carried by the caster wheel'truck and isswingable horizontally on f I thetruck spindle 4 as a center located midway the length of said member; j

The member 5 is shorter than theoveral] for the passage thereof. However, the mom be]? 5 is too short to permit hitching theretov "the draftdevices necessary for a multi-animal team, such asa four animal team arranged to travel as 'hereinbefore described.

7 length for such a team is provided for by the two preferably similar straight dinal end extensions 6.

Each end extension 6, in thisexample, consists of a pair of strong longitudinal steel bars, at their inner ends overlapping the end portion of the center member and arranged above and below the sameand normally tightly clamped thereto by a strong vertical bolt 7, passing down through the two steel bars and the member 5. The two usually longitusimilar steel-bars of anextension 6, are preferably arranged one over the other and ver tically spread apart to straddlethe member r end extension 6, is provided with any suitable 5, and riveted or otherwise fixed together at their outer ends, and the outer end of each means, such as-clevis 8, for the attachment of thedraft devices for several, saytwo, draft animals arranged to travel side by side and in the spaces between different rows 1 of plants.

The strong stiff evener bar sections 6, are normally fixedto the evener bar section 5, to form and constitute rigid longitudinal end extensions or continuations thereof, to pro vide an evener bar, as a unit," that is strong and rigid and of the length in excess of the over all width of the cultivator required by the four horse team.

I provide this normally-stifl long straight "evener bar unit, that embodies sections 5, 6,

witha suitable strengthening bracing truss arrangement. This truss, in the particular example shown,-consists of opposite end struts '9, diagonal, or inclined connecting members or braces 11 and truss rod 12 at its center bolted or otherwise securedto an abutmentor center strut (not shown) rigid with the evener bar unit 5. p

The two usually similar struts t), extend rearwardly from the ends of theevener bar section 5, and at their front ends are fixed.

to section 5in any suitable manner, vertical clamplng bolts 7.

Each stilfstrut 9, can consist of a pair of as by the strong longitudinally arranged metal bars spread vertically at their'front portions to straddle section 5-,;and between their rear thereof. 7

r The evener bar section5, is, preferably,

portions receiving the inclined truss or brace rods 11, andthe center truss rod 12. centerjtruss rod 12 is arranged behind and longitudinally of the evener bar section 5, and extendsbetween and at its ends is bolted or otherwise fixed to the rear end portion of struts 9. i I h P i The inclined braces or truss rods 11 are i normally fixed to the rear portions of struts 9 and extend outwardly and forwardly therefrom and at their front outer ends are bolted or otherwise fixed to the evener bar extension sections 6, intermediate'tlie lengths of said sections, usually to the outer end portions The fixed to asupporting bracket or head that provides a rearabutment or strut fitting and secured to the center of the truss rod 12,said supporting bracket that carries section 5, having a front vertical hub or sleeveconfined and rotatable on thesupportingtruck spindle 4, as disclosed by my mentioned Patent 1,279,677 for. supporting and trussing the long one piece bar of said patent.

The evener bar'unit 5, 6, is horizontally swingableas a unit on the center vertical axis 4 and the draft or 'pull of the draft animals on the evener bar end extensions is transmitted to the cultivator through said center pivot 1. g V

v To limit the horizontal swing of the evener bar unit 5, 6, with respect to the cultivator,- suitable stop orstay connections are preferably provided between the ends of the evener bar section 5 and thejadjacent portions of the cultivator frame. For instance, for this purpose, I show flexiblestay orstop chains, or other connections 10, at their rear ends attached to the cultivator'frame and at' their fronten'ds to the rear ends of the struts 9. These connectionslO, normally hang slack or loose as indicated by Fig. 3. i

I It will be noted, that the bars 11, form forward and outward connections of the truss bar 12, so that the truss bar system 9,. 11,12, resists the strains and stresses set up by the forward pull of the draft animalsonf struction against the forward movement of the. implement through passagewaysfof a width to" permit passage-ofthe cultivator itin, effect,

self, and also materially increases the -'storage Y space required for the cultivator in the Inachine shed or thebarn as -well as on] the dealersdisplay floor, andfor shipping pur-.

: poses.

To overcome this difliculty,1I renderthe evener baror device, as an entirety, foldable or collapsible, in length, either by hand when the team is not hitched thereto, orzwhile maintaining the draft or pull connection between the end sectionsor extensions 6, and the center member 5, so that the draft anlmals canfcontinue to advance the implement, as an entirety,'even afterthe evener bar unit has been so reduced in length as to be shorterthan the overall-width of the cultivator. 7,

This result is accomplishedby collapsing Y the evenerbar unit in length through forward swing or adjustment or byforwardly offsetting portions thereof while, if the team is at tached, retaining such portions as draft'receiv-ing'aiid transn' itting parts of'tlie unit.

For instance,'the result can bQ'itCCOlHPllSllGd by loosening the clamping bolts 7 and detachingthe operative truss connections between evener bar end sections 6, and'the struts 9 or the-truss bar 12,and then swinging sections 6,

forwardly on bolts 7, as centers) to positionsextending forwardly from the ends ofthe evener bar section 5, (see Fig. 2) and then again tightening the bolts 7, if-need be. These adjustments canbe made by handwhen the draft animals are not attached, or if the draft animals are drawing the implement and the needarises, the adjustment can be made with out detachingthe draft animals from the end sections 6', and the pull of the draft animals can then be utilized to, fold the sections 6-forwardly, and to then continue the forward movement of the implement, the draft passing to the center section 5, through ends 6, and bolts 7 I The truss connection can be rendered sepai'able or detachable, by the provision of de- ."movably enter thespaces between the upper tachable coupling pins 13, between the inclined truss or brace bars 11, and'the struts 9. The rear ends of the bars 11, preferably reand lower bars ofthe struts 9, and are secured by vertical pins 13 extending through registering perforations in said struts and bars.

' init separation of the parts and can be as- These pins or bolts 13, are removable to per;

readily reapplied to again secure the parts in normal positions.

, It will also be noted that when the evener bar unit isreduced in length, Fig. 2, a truss system 9, 9, 12, is provided for the evener bar center-section 5.

By lifting the pins 13 from operative coupling positions, the evener bar unit ends '6,

can be folded forward any desired distances toward the tongue 2, some of which positions are indicated by dotted and full lines Fig. 2.

The evener'bar" unit can be restored to its 1 normal four horse team length for cultivating plants in rows, by swinging the endsiback to normal positions (Fig. 1) and locking the ends in such positions by reapplicationof pins 13 to operative coupling positions. 3

It 1s evident that various changes, varia-' tions and modifications might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope y of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit the invention to the approximately precise disclosures hereof.

What I claim is:

1. A centerpivotod evener bar unit for a straddle row agricultural implement comprising a center section having rearwardly ex tending end struts, a rear truss bar between and'couple'd to said struts, evener bar end exsection.

tension' sections at their-outer ends formed for attachment of the draft animals and at 7 their inner ends coupled to the outer ends of the center section, and rear detachable inclined truss bars betwee 'i'said extension sec trons-and said struts.

Aneven'er bar unit, for a straddle row a ricultural implement, comprising a center section having extending struts at its outer ends, a barconnecting said struts, sion bars at the outer ends of the center section, having suitable connections for draft animals, and movable to abnormal forwardlytion to transmit the draft. of the animals thereto and to assume normal rigid evener bar unit positions forming outward'continuationsof the center section and (2) abnormal positionsfolded forwardly from the center section, and means for normally holding said end sections in saidv norinal'positions.

end exten- 4. An, evener bar unit of the typesubstantially as described for a straddle row agricultural implement, embodying a central evener bar section formed intermediate its length for pivotal and draft pull'connection with the implement, opposite endevener bar eXten-,

sion draft sections coupled to the central section to transmit the draft thereto and to move to abnormal positions extending forwardly therefrom and at'theirouter. ends provided with the sole draft animal attachments of.

the unit, whereby the draft is applied tothe central section through-said extension sec tions-whether in operative or in abnormal positions, and rear detachable truss oonnecw tions'applied tothe outer. portions of said I H 1 15 sections in operative pos tions inrigid out- I end sections for normally securing said end wardlongitudinal extension of the central 5. A tillage implement having a front truck, in combination with a horizontally 'swingable center pivoted evener bar unit nor mally projecting beyond the implement ends,

having draft transmitting central pivotal connection with said truck, said unit embody.- ing a central section through wh ch the draft is transmitted to the implement, opposite end v extension sections at their inner ends coupled :to the outer ends of the central section to transmit the draft thereto and attheir outer. 7

ends provided'with the sole'draft animalatiao tachments of the unit,'truss-means to normally maintain said end extensions in outward longitudinal continuation of the center .section, said means being operable to permit said end extensions to move to abnormal forwardly projecting positions.

b.- A straddle row ti v a horizontally swingable. centrally-pivoted evener bar unit for four draft'animals, said unit atits outer extremities having doubletrees coupled thereto for said draft animals and constituting the sole draft animal connection, said unit embodying a central main sion sections in normal positions and where:

by said end sections can be released to swing forwardly and carry sald double trees forwardly and toward each other.

llage implement, and

voaaas 7. A horizontally-swingable center-pivoted evener bar unit for a straddle-'rowicentertongue front-truck tillage implement, said unit embodying a longitudinal center-section having a center draft and coupling connection forapplication to th'eimplement, op-

posite end extension sections coupled to the:

outer ends of the center-section to assume normal longitudinal and abnormal forwardly swung positions with respect thereto,- and means establishing detachable truss, connections to normally maintain said extension sections in operative longitudinal positions, the sole draft animal connections of the unit being provided at the outer ends of said, e111 tension sections, whereby the unit receives its draft solely through said extension sections and applies the draft tothe implement through said center coupling connection.

I Signed at Beatricain the county o t-Gage, and State of Nebraska, this 10th day of. No-

vember, 1925.

WlLLIAM ELLI OTTQ 

